What is a timing belt?
The timing belt is the belt that runs from your engine's crankshaft to the camshaft thus controlling how your pistons or valves fire or rotate. When your engine's crank turns, it then turns or rotates the belt which then turns your camshaft. The spinning of your camshaft is what causes your pistons to move up and down. The belt is very important because it's the only connection between the crankshaft and camshaft and it's vital to having properly functioning valves. Some vehicles do not have a belt. They will use a timing chain or timing gears instead, but they all work in the same fashion.

How do I know if I have a timing belt?
The best way to find out if you have a timing belt is to look at the front of your engine to verify what is connecting the crankshaft to the camshaft. It looks like a very wide fan belt which runs from the lower center of your engine block up towards the location of the alternator but not placed quite as high. Typical application is a belt or a timing chain. In cars like Volkswagen, you may see timing gears instead. Some engine compartments make it extremely difficult to access or even see your timing assembly. In that case, consult your vehicle's owner manual or call your dealer.

What's the best way to maintain my timing belt?
There is no good way to maintain or extend the life of any one timing belt. The belt material can't be conditioned with any store bought formulas, and the cost to get access to the belt is very often more expensive than the belt itself. The best way to insure a healthy timing belt is to replace it at the factory recommended intervals. This includes replacement of the water pump if that is recommended.

How do I know if my timing belt is out?
You'll definitely know if the timing belt goes out because you won't be able to start or run your vehicle at all. In the worst cases of timing belt failure, you can face very costly repairs as a result which could include valve jobs or other expensive engine work. That's why it's so important to replace them as recommended or when you see the first signs of trouble. The signs of a bad timing belt that you should watch out for include hesitation while starting the car, a rough idle, misfiring of the valves or pistons, and possible backfire out your exhaust due to carbon build up from piston misfiring.

How can I replace my timing belt?
Replacement of a timing belt is not an easy task. It was somewhat easier with older American cars as it only required removal of the radiator, maybe the battery, and a few other components or belts like the serpentine or fan belt. The difficult part was, and still can be, releasing the tension on the belt so it could be removed and replaced. This required movement and suspension of the engine block to move the crankshaft. In today's vehicles, it is actually more complicated as the timing assemblies are extremely difficult to access and some engines are situated in inverted or other positions in the engine compartment. For those who would like to change the belt themselves, please consult your owner's manual and your local dealership for advice.

MBL Timing Belt88-89 Honda Accord DX 2dr (carb) A20A1 We offer the several belt choices for this application: 14400-PC6-004 is available in various brands . These are all extended-life belts with a recommended replacement interval of 90,000 miles under NORMAL operating conditions. 14400-PC6-004ECO is also offered (as an economy alternative), but if this belt is installed instead of one of the extended-life belts, the technician should advise the vehicle owner that the recommended replacement interval should not exceed 50,000 miles. Timing Belt see NOTE!! We offer the following belt choices for this application: 14400-PC6-004 in Conti, Goodyear, and NPN brands . These are all extended-life belts with a recommended replacement interval of 90,000 miles under NORMAL operating conditions. 14400-PC6-004ECO is also offered (as an economy alternative), but if this belt is installed instead of one of the extended-life belts, the technician should advise the vehicle owner that the recommended replacement interval should not exceed 50,000 miles.

MBL Timing Belt88-89 Honda Accord DX 2dr (carb) A20A1 We offer the several belt choices for this application: 14400-PC6-004 is available in various brands . These are all extended-life belts with a recommended replacement interval of 90,000 miles under NORMAL operating conditions. 14400-PC6-004ECO is also offered (as an economy alternative), but if this belt is installed instead of one of the extended-life belts, the technician should advise the vehicle owner that the recommended replacement interval should not exceed 50,000 miles. Timing Belt extended-life We offer the several belt choices for this application: 14400-PC6-004 is available in various brands . These are all extended-life belts with a recommended replacement interval of 90,000 miles under NORMAL operating conditions. 14400-PC6-004ECO is also offered (as an economy alternative), but if this belt is installed instead of one of the extended-life belts, the technician should advise the vehicle owner that the recommended replacement interval should not exceed 50,000 miles.